Apparatus for controlling railway switches



May 8, 1934. c w. BELL APPARATUS FUR CONTROLLING RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed NOV. 24, 1935 INVENTOR Charles Ul Bell BY Q22 H 5 ATTORNEY Patented May 8, 1934 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY SWITCHES Charles W. Bell, Wilkinsburg, Pa., msignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 24, 1933, Serial No. 699,544

2 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for controlling railway switches, and particularly to apparatus for normally controlling a switch from a distant point, but for at times modifying such control in accordance with traffic conditions adjacent the switch.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic View showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a stretch of railway track which stretch is pro- Vided with a track switch 3. Switch 3, as here shown, is operated by a motor C comprising a cylinder 4 containing a reciprocable piston 5. The piston 5 is operatively connected with the switch by any suitable form of switch mechanism indicated diagrammatically in the drawing by a dash line 6. Fluid under pressure, usually compressed air, is at times supplied to one end or the other of the cylinder 4 from a suitable source not shown in the drawing, and the supply of fluid pressure is controlled by a switch valve designated by the reference character V. This valve comprises a normal magnet M and a reverse magnet M As shown in the drawing, the switch occupies its normal position. If, now, reverse magnet M is energized, fluid pressure will be supplied to motor C to operate switch 3 to its reverse position. If, when the switch occupies its reverse position, magnet M is energized, fluid pressure will be supplied to motor C to restore switch 3 to its normal position. One form of switch valve which will operate in the manner described is disclosed and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,238,888, issued Sept. 4, 1917, to J. P. Coleman, for Railway trafiic controlling apparatus.

The valves M and M of the mechanism V are controlled in part by a polar relay P which, in turn, is controlled by a lever L. The lever L may be any one of a number of similar levers in an interlocking machine located at a point remote from the switch, such for example as in an interlocking cabin, and as here shown, is capable of assuming a plurality of different positions indicated by broken lines in the drawing, and designated by the reference characters N, B, D, and R. Associated with the lever L are a plurality of contacts 8, 9, 10 and 11 adjacent each of which is placed letters corresponding to the lever positions in which the corresponding contact is closed. For example, contacts 8 and 9 are closed when the lever L occupies its N position, its B position or any position intermediate these two positions, while contacts 10 and 11 are closed when the lever occupies its R position, its D position, or any position intermediate these two positions.

When contacts 8 and 9 of lever L are closed, relay P is supplied with current of normal polarity from a suitable source such as abattery A over a circuit which is obvious from an inspection of the drawing, and which need not, therefore, be traced here. Under these conditions, rev lay P becomes energized in its normal direction,

and closes its normal contact 12-12% When, however, contacts 10 and 11 of lever L are closed, relay P is then supplied with current of reverse polarity from battery A over a circuit which will also be obvious from an inspection of the draw- ?5 ing, and under these latter conditions, relay P becomes energized in its reverse direction and closes its reverse contact 1212 I The Valves M and M of valve mechanism V are also controlled in part by a circuit controller 0 E. This circuit controller is operatively connected with the switch 3 and, as here'shown, comprises a contact '77 which is closed at all times except when the switch occupies itsfull reverse position, and a contact 7-? which is closed at all times except when the switch occupies its full normal position. The operation of the apparatus thus far described as a whole, is as follows: As shown in the drawing, switch 3 and lever L both occupy their normal positions, and, under these conditions, contact 7-7 of circuit controller E is open, contact '77 is closed, relay P is energized in its normal position, and the normal magnets M and If, now, it is desired M are both deenergized. to reverse switch 3, lever L is moved from its N position to its R position, thereby causing relay P to become energized in its reverse direction and close its reverse contact l212 in the manner When reverse contact circuit controller E, wire 22, winding of reverse magnet M wire 13, reverse contact 12-42 of relay P, and wire 14 back to battery F. Reverse magnet M therefore becom s energized and causes the switch to move to its reverse position in the manner previously described. When the switch reaches its reverse position, contact 7'? of circuit controller E opens and deenergizes reverse magnet M so that both magnets are then deenergized.

If, after switch 3 has been moved to its reverse position, it is desired to restore it to its normal position, lever L is restored to its normal position. The movement of lever L to its normal position causes relay P to become energized in its normal position, and as soon as normal contact 12-42 of relay P becomes closed, a circu' becomes completed for normal magnet M of valve mechanism V, this latter circuit passing from battery F, through contact 7--'Z of circuit controller E, wire 15, winding of normal magnet M, wire 16, normal contact 12-12 of relay P, and wire 14 to battery F. Normal magnet M therefore becomes energized and causes motor C to restore the switch to its normal position. When the switch reaches its normal position, contact 7-4 of circuit controller E becomes opened and deep.- ergizes normal magnet M All parts are then restored to their normal positions in which they are shown in the drawing.

With the apparatus constructed in the manner thus far described, it will be observed that when the switch occupies either of its two extreme positions, both the normal and reverse magnets are deenergized; This is contrary to usual practice, and is desirable because it causes the supply of fluid pressure to motor C to become automatically cut oil as soon as the switch reaches an extreme position without the necessity for the lock magnet which is usually provided for this purpose, thus simplifying the construction of the valve mechanism V and the circuits for controlling this valve mechanism. When, however, the magnets M and M are normally deenergized, there is a remote possibility that the switch points might start to creep while a train is passing over the switch, and in order to insure that this creeping will not take place, I provide means for energizing the magnet valve which was last energized whenever a train comes within a given distance of the switch, and for subsequently maintaining such magnet valve energized until after the train has completely passed the switch.

As here shown, these means include a track section G--H which extends for some distance in either direction from the switch, and which is insulated from the adjoining portions of the stretch by rail joints 2. This track section is provided with a track circuit com rising a track battery J connected across the rails of the stretch adjacent one end of the section and a track relay K connected across the rails adjacent the other end of the section. Track relay K controls an auxiliary circuit for normal magnet M which circuit passes from battery F, through wire 1'7, back contact 18 of relay K, wire 19, winding of normal magnet M, wire 16, normal contact 1212 of relay P, and wire 14 to battery F. This circuit is closed whenever back contact 18 of relay K and normal contact 12---12 of relay P are both closed, and it will be apparent, therefore, that if a train enters section GH when lever L occupies its normal position and switch 3 occupies its normal position, normal magnet M will become energized and will admit fluid to cylinder 4 of motor C to hold switch 3 in its normal position, until the train again departs from section GH.

Track relay K also controls an auxiliary circuit for reverse magnet M this latter circuit passing from battery F, through wire 1'7, back contact 20 of relay K, winding of reverse magnet M wire 13, reverse contact 12-12 of relay P, and wire 14 to battery F. This circuit becomes closed whenever back contact 20 of relay K and reverse contact 12-12 of relay P are both closed and it follows, therefore, that if a train enters section GH, when lever L and switch 3 both occupy their reverse positions, reverse magnet M will become energized and will admit fluid to cylinder 4 of motor C to hold switch 3 in its reverse position until after the train departs from section C-I-I.

It should be pointed out that while with the apparatus constructed as shown in the drawing, lever L may be moved from its normal to its reverse position or vice versa at any time, in actual practice, the movement of this lever will be restricted by the usual detector locking to prevent operation of this lever while section G-H is occupied.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing 1 from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a normal magnet and a reverse magnet, a relay responsive to reversals of the polarity of the current supplied thereto, means for supplying said relay with current of normal or reverse polarity, means for energizing said normal magnet when said relay is supplied 1 with current of normal polarity and said switch is in any position but its normal position, means for energizing said reverse magnet when said relay is supplied with current of reverse polarity and said switch is in any position but its reverse posi- 1 tion, means for moving said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a second relay controlled by traffic conditions adjacent said switch, means controlled by said polar relay and said second relay and effective when said polar relay is supplied with current of normal polarity and said second relay is deenergized for energizing said normal magnet, and means controlled by said polar relay and said second relay and effestive when said polar relay is supplied with current of reverse polarity and said second relay is deenergized for energizing said reverse magnet.

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a track switch and divided by' means of insulated joints to form an insulated track section which extends in either direction from said switch, a track circuit for said insulated section including a track relay, a valve mechanism 1 including a normal magnet and a reverse magnet, means controlled by said valve mechanism for moving said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a circuit controller controlled by said switch and comprising a first con tact which is closed at all times except; when said switch occupies its full normal position and a second contact which is closed at all times except when the switch occupies its full reverse posisupplied with current of reverse polarity, means including the reverse contact of said polar relay and said second contact, and a second circuit for said reverse magnet including said reverse contact of said polar relay and a back contact of said track relay.

CHARLES W. BELL. 

